Expressing My Dog's Glands

About a month ago I was awaken by a loud crying noise, I noticed it was my dog and how he kept making these loud wining noises. I also noticed how he kept dragging his butt across instead of just walking normal. I was very worried because he started to cry out and I was so confused on what to do. I tried to grab his tail to see what was wrong and right there he made a loud cry! It was about 5:30 AM and I called an emergency vet. I explained to him that my dog kept crying and dragging his butt instead of walking. The veterinarian told me that I needed to bring him in because he believed his glands needed to be expressed. He told me to give him Benedryl to calm his symptoms down because he would be able to see him later that morning. As I went to my medicine cabinet I noticed that he was shaking and in full discomfort. I managed to get him to swallow the Benadryl and as I got ready I noticed how he stopped shaking and seemed calmer. When I took him to the vet, the diagnosis came out to be exactly what he had thought it would be. He explained to me that his glands needed to be expressed. That it was a liquid inside the rectum that needed to be squeezed and emptied out. I asked him why my dog hadn’t done that in the previous years. He asked me if I regularly took my dog to get groomed. I responded by saying yes but that I had missed taken my dog last month. He than told me that most groom places always express the glands for the dogs. He said that is a muscle that dogs have to learn to express themselves but that if a human does it for them, than they tend to not worry and weaken there muscle by not using it. The veterinarian took my dog to the back and expressed his glands, he gave me some medicine and in less than a week my dog was back to normal. Therefore next time your dog drags his butt around and makes loud cries, than check with the Veterinarian because it might be his glands.

Symptoms that may indicate that your dogs glands need to be expressed.

1) Drags his butt

2) Pain around the tail area

3) Shaking

4) Loud Crying noises

5) Heavy Panting

If your dog has any of these symptoms, take him to the vet.

Ways to prevent your dog from having this happen to him

1) During check ups, ask veterinarian if the dogs glands need to be expressed

2) Ask your groomers to not express your dog’s glands

If these actions are taken than most likely your dog will always express his own glands because he will learn to use his muscle and will not require any outside help

Disclaimer : I am not a veterinarian, always check with your veterinarian